A Friend in Need
by a-blue-feather
Summary: Kaiba gets ill and realises that he does have friends! First fic ever so please review.


A Friend in Need is a Friend Indeed

Author: Toni

Chapter: one

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh. Don't bother suing me. It wouldn't be worth your while.

Summary: Kaiba gets ill and discovers that he does have friends.

A/N: I hope that you like it. It's my first ever fan fiction so I would appreciate it if you review. But no flames, I will only use them to toast marshmallows!

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Kaiba was tired, but hey wasn't he always. It's not easy being a high school student, the CEO of the biggest gaming corporation in the world AND a single parent. He was also pretty sick. He had been feeling nauseous and feverish lately; anyone else would have taken the week off but not a Kaiba and especially not Seto. So he got up at 5 a.m. like every other morning but this time when he stood up, he had to grip the edge of his four-poster to stop from falling on his face as a wave of dizziness swept over him.

When he arrived down stairs, Mokuba could tell instantly that something was wrong. His hair was out of place, not as much as Joeys or Dukes but considering this was Seto Kaiba we're talking about it was bad, his school uniform was creased, he had large dark circles under his eyes and he was extremely pale.

"Are you alright?" asked Mokuba.

"I'm fine. Hurry up or you'll be late for school." he replied in a cold hard monotone. Only Mokuba knew that Seto was just trying to deflect his worry.

"You should stay at home, nii-sama." stated Mokuba in a motherly way. Since they didn't have parents they had to look out for each other.

"You know I can't Mokie." replied Seto wearily. He would have liked to stay at home today. "Now go get ready."

Mokuba slowly got down from the bar stool that he was sitting on and obeyed his brother.

Kaiba made his way into the school. His first class was on the top floor. That was seven flights of stairs. He dreaded the thought. But he began to trudge up not letting any of his emotions show and especially not any weakness. As he neared the top, he felt quite light-headed and stumbled slightly over the last step. Unfortunately Yugi and all his little friends where there.

"Are you alright, Kaiba?" asked Yugi as he caught Seto's elbow to steady him.

"I am perfectly alright, thank you." said Kaiba, sarcasm dripping of every word.

"You're welcome." responded Yugi, completely unfazed by Kaibas rudeness.

"Hmfp" grunted Kaiba and stalked of to his class.

"That guy needs to learn some manners." noted Joey.

"He didn't look too good." said Yugi in a worried voice.

"Who cares?" spat Joey rather callously.

"I mean he REALLY didn't look good. He looked kinda feverish. Maybe we should keep an eye on him."

"Why? It's not like he would do it for any of us."

"Because we are the closest thing to friends that he has."

"Oh…well…alright then." came Joeys reply.

At lunch, Kaiba sat alone, as usual; at the back of the canteen, working on his laptop. He had his lunch next to him and slowly worked his way through it. He hadn't eaten anything since yesterday and his nausea didn't seem as bad as he ate his ham sandwich, apple and some water to wash it down.

Suddenly, Kaiba was surprised to notice that there was someone sitting across from him and a few moments later there where people sitting on either side as well. Looking up from his laptop, he realised that it was Yugi across from him, Joey on his left and Tristan on his right. Tea was sitting next to Yugi, on his left, and Rou was on Yugi's right.

"What are you doing?" asked Kaiba in his trademark emotionless voice.

"Well last time we checked it was a free country, Moneybags, although you probably own most of it." said Joey.

"Too right, Mutt."

"And we're worried about you." cut in Yugi before the two rivals verbal sparing could escalate into a full-blown brawl.

"Why?" asked Kaiba, genuinely puzzled.

"Because even though you don't see us as your friends, we see you as one."

This touched Kaiba deep inside but of course, nothing showed on the outside. "Hmfp. Well as long as you don't interrupt my work." said Kaiba and went back to typing on his laptop.

Slightly taken aback by Kaiba letting them sit there without blowing a gasket the others resumed their natural pastimes at lunch. Tea read a girls magazine, Rou quietly ate his food and the others all talked about teenager-y things.

Kaiba let the conversation flow over him and realised that he actually quite enjoyed sitting here with people around him, that was why, when he finally realised that it was impossible to concentrate in such an environment, put his laptop away rather than tell them to shut-up.

Not only did it surprise Kaiba but it surprised the rest of them as well.

"Are you sure there is nothing wrong Kaiba? You don't look like your normal self." said Yugi in a concerned voice.

Kaiba was about to reassure the spiky haired duellist when his nausea came back with a vengeance. To the others it looked like Kaiba opened his mouth to say something, paled dramatically and shut it again with a snap.

"Excuse me." mumbled Kaiba as he almost ran for the door.

"I'll go see if he is alright" said a now VERY worried Yugi. He had never seen the CEO look so flustered, out of place and down right panicky in the many years that he had known him.

"I'll come to" added Joey. When everyone looked at him incredulously, clearly surprised that he actually cared about the welfare of his enemy, he simply said, "I can't have the jerk dying on me. Who would I annoy then?"

So the two of them hurried out the way Kaiba had gone. They soon came to the boys' bathroom and noticed that the door was still swinging slightly. When they walked in they spotted Kaiba almost immediately. He was knelt down on the floor, with his head over the toilet bowl, dry heaves racking his slender frame. Yugi hurried over and knelt down beside him, pulling his hair out of his eyes and rubbing reassuring circles on his back. Joey just stood there, unsure of what to do. He had never seen the usually powerful and commanding CEO in such a helpless and venerable position and it scared him a little. When it seemed like the retching had released its hold on Kaiba a little he sat back on the floor of the toilet and Yugi pulled the taller boy to him so that his head was resting against his chest and his long legs stretched out on the floor. Whenever Joey was ill when he was little his mother used to wipe his forehead with a damp cloth, so that's what he did now. He got some toilet roll, ran it under the cold tap for a second, knelt down in front of Kaiba and gently patted his forehead. As soon as he touched the blue-eyed boys head, he could feel the heat coming off him.

"He is running a really high temperature, Yugi." said Joey, and for the first time he was truly worried about the CEO. The brunet seemed to have drifted of from exhaustion but as Joey was wiping away the sweat and trying to bring his fever down, he began to stir. Suddenly his eyes snapped open.

"What are you doing, Mutt?" he said as he swatted Joeys hand away and tried to stand up. He managed to get vertical but there was none of Kaiba's usual posture or superiority, instead he just looked like a tired, worn-out 17 year old in need of some serious TLC.

"I was trying to bring your fever down." said Joey a little annoyed at Kaiba's ingratitude.

"I think that you should see a doctor Kaiba." said Yugi.

"I don't have a fever, and I don't have to see a doctor." responded Kaiba, swaying a little. He turned to walk out the door but his knees gave way and he ended up on his hands and knees breathing hard.

"Fuck." he hissed. Joey put his hand under Kaiba's arm and hauled him to his feet. He then made Kaiba put his arm around his shoulders and began walking him to the nurse's room. As Yugi was too short to help with Kaiba, he just held the door open for the two of them. It seemed as though Kaiba had finally given in or was too tired to fight any more as his chin was on his chest and he was hardly even bothering to move his feet meaning Joey had to half carry, half drag him to the nurse.

When they finally got there Yugi knocked and the door was opened by the nurse, who, when she saw the state that the brunet was in, sucked in a sharp breath and quickly ushered them all inside.

"Please lye on the bed young man." She requested and Kaiba tried but it seemed that he just didn't have enough energy left to lift himself up. Joey sighed and picked up the normally proud CEO, bridal style and placed him gently down on the bed. Kaiba didn't even try to stop him and Joey thought that he even heard a small, "Thank you." but it must just have been wishful thinking.

"What happened to him?" the kind woman asked and the two friends told her everything from the stairs incident up to the present.

"Okay then, you two can go back to class now. Lunch ended about 5 minutes ago."

"If it's okay with you, we'd rather stay." said Yugi hopefully.

"That's quite alright." she smiled down at Yugi.

The nurse put a thermometer in Kaiba's mouth and gasped when she read it a few minutes later.

"His temperature is very high. What is his first name?" she asked, for in their story they had only called him Kaiba.

"Seto." supplied Yugi.

"Seto…can you hear me?" asked the nurse for Kaiba's eyes had shut, and it seemed as if he were asleep.

"I'm not deaf." came the usual sarcastic reply.

"When was the last time you ate?"

"At lunch."

"And kept it down." amended the nurse.

"Um…breakfast…no that came up…diner…mm…no…breakfast yesterday?" He finally replied a little unsure.

"You have to look after yourself better, young man." said the plump woman in a stern tone. "I am going to give you these pills that should help you keep things down and I prescribe LOTS of bed rest. By that I mean that you are to stay in bed with no laptop, or any other work orientated devices for at least a week, minimum!"

"Hmfp." responded Kaiba crossing his arms and looking like a petulant child as the nurse left to go finish her other work.

"Here." Yugi handed Kaiba his mobile that had fallen out of his school uniform when he had collapsed. "Phone your chauffer. I'll go get your stuff from the canteen."

Kaiba complied with Yugi's order and phoned Roland. When he was done, a rather awkward silence descended between the two boys left.

"Thank you." it was so quiet that Joey didn't think that he had heard Kaiba right but when he looked at him and saw the look on his face he knew that he had heard right but was a little confused.

"For what?"

"For coming after me, for looking after me, for helping me when I couldn't help myself." said Kaiba even more quietly, not meeting Joey's eyes.

Joey walked over to Kaiba and lifted his chin so that he had to look at him. "That's what friends do for each other. They stick together and when a friend needs help you give it, no matter what, and guess what Kaiba…you're our friend…you're MY friend."

And for the first time in the many years that Joey had known Kaiba, the supposedly heartless CEO smiled, not smirked, or smiled in an evil sadistic way but just a slight upturn at the edges of his mouth, but it made all the difference.

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Ten minutes later they were all waiting outside the school for Kaiba's limo to appear. Yugi had Kaiba's bag over his shoulder and Joey had found a bench were the exhausted CEO was trying hard to remain upright. Joey was sitting next to him, propping him up.

"I think I see your car, Kaiba." said Yugi, and sure enough, there was a limo speeding towards them.

"Come on, Kaiba." said Joey, shaking his shoulder a little bit.

Kaiba seemed to have lost the ability to speak as he just grunted in confirmation that he had heard and tried to stand on his own. This was a VERY bad idea as he soon came crashing down again and would have had more bruises on his knees had not Joey caught him in time. Joey again put Kaiba's arm across his shoulders and helped him to the car. Yugi was holding the door open and Joey gently helped Kaiba get in. As the taller boy seemed incapable of doing so, Joey leaned across and buckled his seatbelt for him.

"Someone should go with him." said Yugi. "And I can't lift him." he added suggestively, looking up at Joey, pleading with him to put his differences aside with the sick boy and help him.

"Oh, alright, but only cause it's you asking." said Joey and added mentally, "and because of what Kaiba said in the nurses office." So he ran around the other side and climbed in next to Kaiba, who seemed to have revived a little.

"Get out of my car, Mutt." he said, but none of the usual venom was there and it was really only a half hearted attempt cause secretly he quite liked having someone there to look after him, though he would never admit it.

"Sorry, no can do." replied Joey in an all to happy voice, "Plus the nurse recommended LOTS of bed rest so I am going to make sure that you get it."

Kaiba groaned but didn't protest any further. He was just too tired.

They soon pulled up outside Kaiba's mansion. Joey opened his door and ran around the other side hoping to stop Kaiba before he tried to get up by himself again. When he got there he realised that Kaiba hadn't even opened the door yet. When Joey did, it was to find the CEO fast asleep, Joey had thought that he was looking out of the window.

Instead of waking him, The blond undid his seatbelt and lifted the surprisingly light CEO bridle style and carried him through the front door that had been answered by a maid.

"Where is his bedroom? And I'll need some damp clothes to bring his temperature down." the young boy said to the slightly surprised maid. She had never seen her employer in such a defenceless way.

"Up the stairs, third door on the right." she replied and hurried away to get some water and sponges to help.

Joey carried him up and found the unconscious boys bedroom easily for it had a small plaque, obviously made by a young child, that read 'Seto's Room'. He also noticed that right across from it was an identical one that read, 'Mokuba's Room'.

He pushed the door open and gently laid Kaiba down on the royal blue, silk bedcovers. He then striped the brunet until he was down to his boxers (praying desperately that he wouldn't wake up) and neatly folded the boys school uniform. He then went and rummage in his drawers until he found some blue, satin pyjama trousers and slipped them onto the boy.

Just as he was finishing, the maid came in with a bowl of cool water and some sponges. She was about to begin bathing the feverish young man when Joey stopped her. He had a feeling that Kaiba would hate for his employees to see him in such a weak state, so he told her to go phone Mokuba's school and have a limo sent to pick him up. He knew both of the brothers cared very much for each other and knew Mokuba would want to be here to help Kaiba get better.

Joey also knew that they had to bring Kaiba's temperature down soon and since he was the only one here he guessed he would have to do it. He went into the millionaires en-suite and found his face cloth which he brought back and dipped in the cool water. He then draped it across the sick boys forehead as began washing his torso with the sponges.

Half an hour later Mokuba burst in the door and ran straight for his brother, "Nii-sama, I told you that you where ill. You should have stayed at home. Well now you have to. I don't care what you say about responsibilities and work you are going to get better." Mokuba finished and let go of his brother, whom he was still hugging tightly. Only then did he notice that there was another boy in the room. "Hi Joey, what are you doing here?"

So for the second time that day Joey related what had happened at school and the nurses recommendation. He finished with, "I was trying to bring Kaiba's temperature down. It seems to be working too. It has dropped a half degree."

"Thank you, I know that my brother doesn't usually show it but I think that he does want friends and I think that he will really appreciate your helping him." said Mokuba. Joey didn't quite know what to say to this so he just kind of smiled in an awkward way. Luckily he was saved by Kaiba coming around.

"Wha…?" he said as he tried to sit up but Mokuba pushed him back down.

"You are to stay in bed, for at least a week!" the younger boy commanded.

"What are you doing here, Joey?" Kaiba asked ignoring his younger brothers orders for the minute.

The blond noticed the use of his first name and was grateful, 'I guess that's how Kaiba says thank you.' he thought to himself. He answered the original question with, "Someone had to look after you and since Yugi can't carry you, I volunteered."

"Well, I'm fine now so you can go." said Kaiba his stone cold façade dropping into place.

"Don't be so mean. Joey is staying for dinner. Aren't you Joey?" said Mokuba in his sweetest voice.

"Eh?…oh…um…yeah…I suppose." replied Joey. He didn't really want to stay but he figured he wouldn't have to as Kaiba would probably throw him out. But the brunet didn't, instead he just grunted in a non-committal way and Mokuba took this for and agreement for he squeaked with excitement and said, "What would you like to eat?"

"Anything you've got." he said and Mokuba raced out of the room to tell the cook that they would have a guest for diner.

"You're temperature seems to be coming down." said Joey.

"Yeah, umm…thanks for doing this yourself and not letting that damn maid do it." responded Kaiba gesturing to his clothes and the sponges next to his bed.

"No prob. I told you that's what you do for a friend."

"Yeah. I've never really had friends before." He said with a rather sheepish grin.

"No worries. We'll teach you what it's all about when you get better. Theme parks where you go on so many rides you can't walk straight, sleep-overs were nobody ever gets wink of sleep, and of course the infamous truth or dare when everyone gets embarrassed beyond all reason." Joey finished with a smile on his face that only got larger when he seen the look on Kaiba's face. It was one of excitement, mingled with dread, mixed with amusement and just a healthy dash of anticipation for the good things to come.


End file.
